Push Back the Dark
by Cirronian de Bergerac
Summary: Cole & Lontoria have a history


Push Back the Dark  
  
Set in Tracker universe, spoilers for The Miracle  
  
I don't own them. They all belong to Lion's Gate and the creative Mr. Grant who brought their world to us. Making no money just thinking in e-print.  
  
Feedback appreciated.  
  
There were always whispers in prison. The latest one had the entire place abuzz. Sar-Top was state of the art. The prisoners came from all over the galaxy. Enixians, Diluvians, Malvors, Desserians and Vardians were representative of the norm. Rumor had it that the newest prisoner to arrive at Sar-Top would be a Cirronian. A Cirronian criminal wasn't news. A Cirronian who had committed a capital crime deserving imprisonment at Sar- Top was nearly unthinkable.  
  
What made Sar-Top unique was it's structure. There were no cells. The prisoners on Sar-Top were drained of most of their life force, small portions were returned until their release. It didn't hurt them but all aggression, depression and other motivating psychological factors that made them perform illegal acts were drained from them. Essentially it was a prison full of ethereal zombies. Every so often, some very enterprising convict would devise a scheme to escape but without a physical aspect for their life force to slip into these attempts mostly resulted in death.  
  
Life on the barren satellite was completely without enlivenment. Frigid and virtually sunless, there were no indigenous animals and anything transplanted there died. Inhospitable, cold and dark, it was a perfect place of punishment.  
  
Daggon had been an educator. Dedicated to teaching and healing, he could often be found in the middle of a gaggle of Cirronian youth. Even among his own kind Daggon was especially gentle. Cirronians celebrated life, beings of light and heat, they were dedicated to life and learning. His wife and child were the center of his universe. Until a Vardian serial killer had stalked Cirron 17. When his wife and daughter were brutally slain and the darkness descended. Daggon knew he would never be warm again.  
  
Mad with grief Daggon had become a Tracker. He became a bounty hunter of sorts. His main goal in life was to find Rhee and bring him to justice. Tracking Rhee to Rinla 5, Daggon had caught him in the act during a vicious spree. Seriously wounded, Daggon had made the capture and turned Rhee over for confinement at Sar-Top. Daggon's heroic actions had saved the lives of Rinla 5's Prime and he was granted his choice of rewards. Surprising everyone, Daggon chose to be appointed a guard at Sar-Top, his only goal, to keep Rhee contained for life.  
  
The days and nights of Rhee's confinement passed in a gray haze for captor and captive. Daggon rarely left the facility, leaving only when forced to. Mostly when his tracking skills were necessary or on mandatory mental health leave time a few times each year. The highly charged buzz all around the prison grounds was a surprise. These hardened criminals rarely got excited about anything.  
  
Going into the guard's observation room he looked out into the briefing area. Spotting the incoming convict being escorted through the prison gates he felt a horrific jolt of shock. Lontoria! He couldn't believe it. Why would Lontoria be here? The high council had sentenced her to prison he knew but surely being a political prisoner would not rate Sar-Top.  
  
Swiftly moving down to the control room Daggon signaled to the physician to hold the process that would diminish Lontoria's life force. Drawing close to the subdued glow of the other Cirronian, Daggon reached out a tentative hand. Dull eyes stared uncomprehendingly at the overture.  
  
"Lontoria, it's Daggon. What happened to you?"  
  
Lontoria's voice was a mere whisper, "Daggon? Why are you here?" The Cirronian scientist appeared dazed. Her entire appearance was dull and sickly, barely retaining any glow.  
  
"I am a guard here. Don't you remember the last time we spoke?"  
  
For a moment Lontoria's aspect seemed to brighten, then settled back into paleness, "You came here for Rhee didn't you?"  
  
Daggon shrugged his shoulders remembering her disapproval of his plans. "I have to be sure Rhee never kills again."  
  
"Yes, you would still feel that way wouldn't you? You never have forgiven yourself for not being there for Anya and Celise. Daggon, they would not want you to do this. They would want you to live and to find love again. Burying yourself here is not the answer, it won't bring them back." Grey eyes glowed for a moment in entreaty, then, seeing that her words made no impact, she turned away with her guards.  
  
"Lontoria!" Daggon's voice broke as she turned back towards him. "You don't belong here, I'm so sorry."  
  
Slender shoulders slumped even further down. "We have to pay for our choices Daggon. No matter what we intend there are always consequences. I made a choice and now I must pay the price for that."  
  
The medical personnel assisted the Cirronian into her containment unit in preparation for the life force drain. As the door to the unit closed Daggon's hand went to the glass wall and was met by Lontoria's smaller palm. The silent good bye seemed to hang in the air around them. Turning away, Daggon nodded to the medics to continue.  
  
Going back to his quarters, Daggon slumped into a chair. How someone as bright as Lontoria had come to this end was a mystery. Well maybe not, she had always been so passionate about her discoveries and the uses for helping improve people's lives. She had been stone-walled by the ruling body of Cirron. Their refusal to use her new energy source had led her to try underground resources and in the end the process had been sold to the Vardians. Varda was always short of energy and Lontoria knew that once her invention had been proven it would be adapted for other planets. But being an aggressive race the Vardian's had turned her discovery into a weapon that had even threatened the balance of power within the alliance. Lontoria had been branded a traitor and sentenced to prison.  
  
In happier times Lontoria had been a frequent visitor to his home. Lively discussions and laughter filled evenings had been the norm. He remembered his small daughter's happy glow when Lontoria would praise her latest school endeavors. The memory of his wife's sweet way of giving the scientist a sense of belonging brought a small smile to his face.  
  
All that had been lost to Rhee's sick attack. Alone in his room, Daggon relived the moments of terror. Fighting his way into his home. Violent bursts of energy jolting everyone away as he hyper-speeded into his home. Stunned at the sight of his family still and lifeless, their bright auras gone forever. Daggon sagged back into the chair pain overwhelming him as if it all had just happened. The darkness descended.  
  
A voice pushed at his mind. Calling him back to the present. 'Daggon? Are you there?'  
  
The Tracker debated acknowledging Lontoria's call. Sighing he mentally answered 'I'm here. In my quarters.'  
  
'I brought you sadness today, I can feel it all around me.'  
  
'No. It wasn't you. Despite the circumstances, I am glad to see you. I was just remembering happier times.'  
  
'Happy times. I remember when Celisse was learning to mask her thoughts. The things that escaped that child's mind.'  
  
The pictures Lontoria painted in his mind brought a smile to his heart. His daughter had been a mental chatterbox of the highest order. For the first time in 3 years he was able to remember his family with someone who knew them, who loved them. The feelings are bittersweet. Each night he lay in bed, his mind linked with Lontoria's sharing memories, lancing the wounds he had borne too long alone.  
  
Two months passed and as night came to Sar-Top once more, Daggon made his way to the containment area where Lontoria was held. Because of her status she was housed away from the other prisoners. Reaching her sleeping area he peered into the darkened corner. "Lontoria?"  
  
A rustling sound accompanied her movements. "Daggon? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I, I just came to make sure you were okay. You sounded, sad last night." Their whispers hung in the ebon air wrapping them in a cocoon of intimacy.  
  
"No, not sad just tired I guess. I'm as well as can be expected I suppose."  
  
Daggon could almost see her wistful smile. He sat next to her doorway and they settled in to talk. Hours went by, being Cirronian neither had the need for sleep. As the artificial light began to come up inside the complex they both broke away from their remembrances. As if the coming lightness were something to fear. Daggon left promising to return.  
  
The next days were hectic and the opportunity to talk to Lontoria didn't come up. Several containment breaches occurred. No escapees made it out of the compound and no two breaches were the same.  
  
Shift end came and Daggon made his way down into the dark to Lontoria. Listening to each other's movements created a bubble of intimacy around them. "Daggon? Do you ever wish." her words choked off.  
  
"What Lontoria? that I could change the past? Of course I do. If I hadn't been away that day I would still have my family." Daggon's voice was a bitter whisper stabbing through the inky blackness.  
  
"No, not that. I know you would give your life to have them back. I meant, do wish you could see the future?"  
  
A harsh bark of laughter greeted her remark. "For what? To see the day Rhee is no more? Yes. I would look into that future day, to watch that sight with great joy." A wolfish half smile accompanied the last sentence.  
  
"Daggon, you have to let go of the hate, it will kill you. It will kill who you are. Kill the man Anya loved. It will kill Celisse's beloved father. Give me your hands."  
  
Daggon hesitated; thinking about her words then slowly put his hands into her tiny palms. A warm feeling stole through him, rising up his arms. He stared at Lontoria in shock. She shouldn't be this strong. Slowly, he felt the coil of pain ease, the sharpness of the turmoil fading.  
  
Peering through the darkness Daggon could just make out Lontoria's face. It bore threads of pain and he realized that it was his pain in her. Slowly he drew his hands away and put his arms around her, their foreheads touching, sharing comfort and pushing back the darkness. Silently, they parted and Daggon touched her chest gently once in comfort and gratitude before leaving her.  
  
Lontoria sat in the darkness, wishing things could be different. She had done all she could. The rest would have to come from Daggon.  
  
The sudden light in her unit held no surprise, Zin had kept his promise and as she left the containment unit, her thoughts were of Daggon, hoping that the darkness inside him ad been pushed back enough. And that maybe he would someday forgive her deceptions. 


End file.
